CM: Let’s talk about young readers. They come with a variety of likes and dislikes. What did you do to make The Crypto-Capers appeal to a diverse audience?
RH: I added a lot of different elements in my stories to attract various kinds of readers. My stories take place in real places so the reader can actually visit them and learn all about them. The reader will learn unique and interesting facts about history, science, and math. My stories are also interactive. The reader has to solve the case by solving cryptograms and puzzles, so the reader is actually participating in the story. The series is unique and different in so many ways and has so much to offer various readers. Most importantly, the series is fun. The characters are relatable to a variety of different readers. I strive to build a connection with my readers and I do that through my characters. How they feel and what they each go through, I feel that my readers can relate to them. The series also gets the reader to think outside of the box. Nothing is ever what it seems and before the reader comes up with their own conclusions, they should always ask why something is happening. I am hoping that my readers will start asking that question. Not only in the series, but in their own lives.
CM: One of the things you have talked about is how the puzzles and cryptograms will encourage even reluctant readers to pick up a book. What else have you done to keep readers involved with this series?
RH: I have spent a lot of time developing this series. One of the things that I have done is that I made book one, The Case of the Missing Sock, the easiest book of the series. Book one helps build the foundation for what the reader has to do. The detectives find the cryptograms, they also find the cipher key to solve them, so all the reader has to do is plug the letters in, and they are set. I explain how to do it. I have given the reader everything they will need to have instant success. It is important that the reader understands what is going on in the series because if they can do book one then they can do the rest of the series. With that being said, I have also made each book in the series harder and more challenging for the reader. After Book one, the reader will never find a cipher key again—instead they will have to create their own. The characters in the story show the reader how to do it. In Book two the reader will have to participate more in the story and will have to pay close attention to detail. Each case is new and exciting and yet they somehow connect. The things that happen in book two happen because of something that happens in book one. The events that happen in book three happen because of something in book two. In each book of the series, the reader will also be learning something new. It may be a new language or some history or science related information. I definitely worked hard to keep my readers attention in the series.
CM: For parents, it is often difficult to know how to handle reluctant readers. What type of advice do you have for parents of children who avoid reading?
RH: From the time my first book came out until now, I have done close to seventy events. I have met a plethora of different people. I have had parents come up to me and thank me for getting their reluctant reader interested in reading. This is what I tell parents. Find something that your child is interested in and stick with it. Children are only going to read and write about things they care about. It may be sports or ponies or whatever, but they will stick with it if they like it. Also, make reading fun. If kids can participate in something, they are more apt to read it because of the fact that they will not get bored. If a child is reading about a topic that they could care less about, they won’t read it. If they love the topic, they will consume it. Also, come up with different ways to make reading fun, especially on the books they are required to read for class. This is where most kids have their biggest problem because as we know, some of those books are not as interesting as the children would like them to be. When this happens, offer to read the book with them. Talk about it and find ways to liven things up. Explain things in a way that they are going to understand it. Act it out, have them create an alternate ending or change a scene, get the whole family involved. Make your child think about what is going on in the story and test their knowledge. Make a competition out of it. All children want to beat their parents at something, make their reward a reasonable one, and give incentives. Various techniques work, but I have found these to work the best.
